Saturday, October 19, 2013

Kelley James - The Pattern Transcending

Kelley
James - The Pattern Transcending
2013, Kelley James Music

Kelley James might just be the next
icon of modern pop. Mixing pop, rock,
freestyle rap and electronic sounds with old fashioned acoustic guitars, Kelley
makes a little bit of music for all tastes and styles. James has toured with O.A.R., Mike Posner, Shwayze
and Joshua Radin and has played a number of high profile gigs over the past
five years. Whether or not you like his
style, James is a barometer of the moment, moving from style to style as no
barriers exist between them. Kelley
James’ new album, The Pattern
Transcending, sounds a bit young lyrically at times, but the infectious
tunes are all most people will need to hear to fall for James’ quirky style.

James gets things rolling with the
edgy, electro-alternative sounds of "Marinade", a coital daydream
with foodie pretensions. "Sucks" is all about missing your favorite
person. The simple construct of this song makes it a bit of affable ear candy
with radio potential. "That's My Girl" is a simple celebration
of love or lust. The writing here is young, but the sentiments are clear.
"Don't Want to Let You Go" features James in a speak/sing navel gazer
lamenting the end of a relationship. This one has a whiny feel that weighs on
the listener.

James pulls out a reggae beat for
"Stalker", wherein James details all the reasons he's not, but ends
up admitting he may be. The lighthearted attempt at humor falls flat, as James
goes for a joke that is too easy and obvious. "Secret Lover" laments
being in a relationship with a woman who "acts like a dude'. James is left
to wonder why she won't call or text the next day. "Carolina"
is a love song to the region, with a hook filled chorus that you can't quite
get out of your head. James is at his best here. Don't be surprised of this
song ends up as part of a tourism campaign at some point. "Wonderful
Place" has a mellower feel to it, and explores how any place can take on
beauty if it’s enjoyed with the right person.

"The Legend of Rip Venice"
is the sort of pop song that makes serious waves. Killer hooks with elements of
pop, soul and funk as well as a bit of 1970s flavor make this eminently
listenable. "California" is a bit bland and predictable, but James
recovers with the reggae jam "This Means War". There's good energy
here, and James shows a bit more complexity in his song construction. The
album slips away with a lovely parting shot in the form of "Brother",
a gentle ode to friendship; family and making dreams come true. This is a
masterful piece of songwriting, both deeply personal and universal all at once.
The chorus does fall into cliché a bit, but it’s a trivial sin in an
otherwise memorable song.

Kelley James is both better and
worse than advertised. The main has a
knack for catchy, hook-filled pop songs as well snappy lyrical flows. Unfortunately he also has a tendency to
arrive at some truly awkward lyrical backlogs at times. These approach laughable status at times, but
more often than not they serve merely as a distraction to the catchy pop craft
on The Pattern Transcending. One gets the idea that perhaps James is
just trying to be too cute in his wordplay.
Either way, there’s a whole world of potential here.